Kathryn Hope
by Arainrhod
Summary: But I dont want to be part of an elite force of Rangers, I want to work with horses, or be a cook, or a knight, or anyhthing but not a ranger.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: the characters, places and events that you recognize in this or any other chapter belong to John Flanagan and in part his publishers. This is not the place for the debate.

Warning: Allegedly, only the first four books have been published thus far in America, if you do live in America then note that I, an Australian, have read all of the books up until number eight, this story is set after the eighth book finishes. It may spoil the books for you

I'm sure you've heard of the great Will Treaty, Kings Ranger, saviour of Araluen, Scandia, Celtica and everywhere else you can think of. If so I'm equally sure that you would be surprised to learn that I knew him. He was the only one who could ever find me at hide-and-seek. Because, you see I am also a castle ward of the Baron Arald at Redmont Castle.

I have been for nearly fifteen years. My people are carni folk and when my mother fell pregnant to the-good-lord-only-knows-who she carried me full term. After she'd birthed the baby she returned to work, and died two months later due to poor hygiene during labour and her body was too tired and malnourished to fight the disease.

My extended family passed through Redmont fief less than a week after her death and I was left in the care of Baron Arald.

My mother had called me Kathryn, when Baron Arald's man insisted that they give me a second name, as he had enough nameless children as it was and he wasn't keen to gain another.

So they called me Hope, which had been my mother's stage name. And so it was the castle gained another young charge.

I used to know Will well enough. Every Sunday afternoon, after church was finished, the Baron approved of children playing games. Hide-and-seek was one of his favourites, and even the smallest child can be pushed into a hidey hole and told to stay quiet until they are found.

I learnt quite quickly that people very rarely look up. So at the age of three I taught myself to climb, I was pleased to discover that it was something I did remarkably well for one so small, scaling trees was something that came naturally. If my little finger could find leverage then I could hoist myself up well above the eye level of the tallest boys. I was a very competitive hide-and-seeker.

I would often be one of the last to be found, after I had shuffled back down the tree so no-one learnt my secret.

It wasn't until well after my fourth birthday that I realised that Will knew my trick, he was thirteen at the time so he had probably taught himself and mastered the trick long before I was born.

I didn't really see him again after he left to become a ranger, I mean you'd see him from a distance sitting still as a mouse trying to be invisible wrapped in his Rangers cloak the cowl hung so low over his face that you could barely tell it was him. Then his appearance became more and more erratic, until it was such that if you claimed to see him you would be accused of lying through you teeth.

Until this year, the year of my choosing. Reports... well gossip, claims that Will is starting an elite force of Rangers to be based here in Redmont fief.

For my choosing I am limited to the diplomatic services, cooking or becoming a seamstress. This is of course unbelievably stupid, if a woman can be queen in her own right then this woman can do something slightly less mind-numbingly dull. My first choice happens to be the stables, I can ride tolerably well and horses respond quite well to me and my carni blood. I wouldn't, however, enjoy an apprenticeship at the farriers. If that is refused then I believe I would prefer farming, but then again, farm women are meant to cook and clean and milk goats and cows. No actually I do not want to be a farm hand. Right then my second choice shall have to be battleschool. I had a sweetheart up until quite recently who was a battle school apprentice. He was constantly complaining about the obstacle course but I snuck in one morning to watch him and his year mates complete it, it didn't look that hard so after they'd

all gone in for breakfast I dropped down from my position perched on the battlements to attempt it. Some one came out while I was half way finished and I was almost caught. I ended up hanging by one arm for what felt like hours, but was actually just a few minutes.

Plus I would like to learn to use a sword properly, Richard did teach me a bit, but I'm not terribly good and training under a professional would help me to improve. It's a bit like a baton; you pick up a stick and twirl it around. And call it art.

But now I really need to sleep, tomorrow will probably be the most important date in my life so far. Mine and the two others with whom I have shared my time at Castle Redmont.

The two others perhaps they should be introduced before I go to sleep. Robert is the son of a noble, so he needn't really take up a craft, he could simply return to his ancestral home and live out his days in luxury. His father passed away years ago, four to be precise, and Robert chose to spend the time at the castle because the Baron was a friend of his fathers. All his families' affairs are being attended to by Lady Pauline, who was a friend of his mothers, who died when Robert was just three in a riding accident. So he may opt to spend the next few years at the Scribeschool I've seen him speaking to some of the senior scribes and lawyers recently.

Ava is a petite girl, she only comes to my shoulder and I stand at the pitiful height of five foot six. Strangely she gives the appearance of being willowy even though she is small in stature. She was five when she began her time as a castle ward, her pale blonde almost white hair reached almost to her feet, it still did until recently, now it wisps around in dainty curls down to the small of her back. I suspect she is considering the diplomatic services. She'd do well there, unfortunately the white robes would only add to the appearance of the Fey about her. Oh I know they aren't real, but the circumstances about Ava's arrival are more than a little strange, she just walked up to the Castle one day and never told anyone where she was from. No-one could recall anything about a missing child anywhere in the fief or in any of the surrounding fiefs.

And now to bed.

A.N. Hello all who made their way through the first chapter, well done, you deserve a pat on the back, if you feel that my writing deserves a pat on the back as well then please leave it in a review. If you hated it then leave that in a review as well.

Peace and Love

Rhoddy


	2. Chapter 2

I woke up at six a.m. this morning same as always, it's a habit I got into over the past few years while I was walking out with Richard, the battleschool apprentice, I liked watching the early morning trainings perched precariously on the battlements around the training ground. Plus is class had a habit of getting sent on runs before breakfast and the twenty odd boys in his year never dobbed on us if I showed up. Which was lucky because my overall uselessness at running meant that we were in the middle of the group of boys.

Richard always had to practically sprint the last mile or so because he would have looked a lot like someone who was coasting if he hadn't. Luckily the turn for the last mile went close enough to the Castle that I only had a few hundred feet left to travel, so I got back in time for breakfast with my ward mates.

As is customary I roll out of bed and land lightly in a crouch, perched with my ankles bent awkwardly, almost silently. I creep quietly to my chest kept at the end of my bed. I open it carefully so as not to wake Ava with whom I have shared a room for the past ten years.

Normally I wear a simple tunic with a tie at the waist over plain leggings. It's simple, and much easier to move in than the prissy dresses that far too many court women and girls insist on wearing.

When I picked up the slightly nicer dress that I had planned on wearing today a note fell off it and into my lap. A glance told me it was from Ava, her handwriting seems to flow like water in a fast moving stream slipping through her hand and the quill and onto the paper.

The note read;

_You shall be wearing a_

_dress today, one of mine_

_is in your chest. Ava_

I look again at the tunic I am holding in my hands. The jerkin, sleeveless part of it is soft, pale tan leather. It falls just past mid-thigh. But the thing I like most about it is the sleeves of the undershirt. They're very loose and they sort of balloon out before tightening into the tie around my wrists, actually it has buttons now, with some shockingly sewed button holes, done by me. It's the most feminine and impractical article of clothing in my chest, I have some stuff of my mums that is a darn sight worse, but that lives under by bed in a moth proof bag. Safe as houses.

It's impractical because the sleeves trail a lot and have a habit of dribbling through gravy or getting caught on things. And it's feminine because the undershirt has a deep v neckline and the vest has a square neckline that finishes four inches past my collar bone.

I had planned on wearing it over lambs wool leggings, a gift from Robert for my fourteenth birthday. He enjoys spending money but Lady Pauline gives him a limited allowance and he is only allowed extra if it's for a good cause. Plus I have new boots, brought by me with the use of savings from the best part of a year. I own five pairs of shoes, one pair of dainty green ladies slippers (the Baron had all of the Ward children dressed up nicely for some do or other last year I wore the dress that was my mothers) another pair of boots, but these are army issue boots, made for running cross-county, not for wearing to important events. And I have two pairs inherited from my mother, one pair is thigh high boots with a deadly heel and the other is a pair of soft felt performance shoes.

The boots I had planned on wearing today are soft brown leather with a solid, yet versatile sole. The best type of shoes for climbing. The toes are already a little scuffed because of this.

I set my clothes that I wanted to wear aside and pulled out the dress that Ava had hidden in my chest. It is folded around the largest of her three whalebone corsets designed to squeeze ones waist down to a desirable size, and shove ones bosom up to a point that it infringes upon the movement of your neck and makes it nearly impossible to see your feet. She has also wrapped my pair of slippers into the bundle; hmm I wonder what pair of shoes she expects me to wear. Obviously I couldn't borrow one of her many pairs of dainty little shoes because they're just that, little, just like Ava.

Speaking of small, I fling the dress out and spread it over my knees to examine the bottom five or so inches. She has sewn a pile of Celtic band around skirt at about four inches from the hem; this must be the seam for where she sewed on a pile of extra material so it would be long enough for me.

The dress is a glorious pale white with a green ivy leaf pattern sewn around the neck and the ends of the sleeves as well as the two Celtic bands, one around the hem and one four inches above it.

The green is well chosen, it's a similar colour to my eyes, which are my most aesthetically pleasing feature, by default. My mouth is a little too thin, my chin a little too pointed and my nose a little too straight. My hair is brown paled by spending too much time in the sun. it is cut raggedly to fall just below my ears. I cut it myself, with my boot knife, it's a far cheaper way of doing it.

I glance at the sun through our window, it's almost seven. I've been looking at clothes for almost an hour. And now we have less than an hour before we must present ourselves at the Barons office for our choosing.

In my experience, gained from living with one of the most over-dressed girls in the world, corsets cannot be done up alone.

I lean over Ava's sleeping form and pour a conveniently placed cup of water over her face. She sits up suddenly and whacks her head soundly on the candelabra set in the wall above her bed.

"That hurt, Kitty." She screeches at me

I shush her mockingly and dangle the corset in front of her face. "If you want me to wear this then you have to help me put it on."

She utters an unladylike grunt and rolls over and starts to drift back off into dreamland. "Lata'" she mutters sleepily

"It's nearly seven. We only have an hour." At this she jumps and cracks her head on the candelabra again

She laces me up so tightly that I cant breathe at all, when I point this out she releases it the tiniest amount, so I can draw in incredibly shallow breaths. I'm beginning to think that maybe court women aren't naturally stupid and it may have something to do with the fact that their brains aren't getting enough oxygen.

Then the dress is slipped over my head and it falls seven and a half inches lower than my collar bone.

"Ava" I cry dismayed "I cant go out looking like this, I look like a complete whore."

I reach for the scarf that was hanging on the corner of my bed, but it isn't there, the shawl that lives in my chest isn't there either.

"A-a-a-a-a-a-ava." I whine. "Please give me back my scarf."

"No, I have your best interests at heart. Tell me please what gender is the Horse master?"

"Male." I collapse onto the bed and Ava flops down next to me, she turns to face me and bursts into giggles.

Ava is my opposite in nearly every way. Her hair is long and neat where mine is short and scraggly, her lips are full and decidedly kissable where mine are thin and unremarkable, her nose is a cute little ski slope mine is straight except for the slight bend where I broke it. Her face is sweet and trustable, mine is pointed and calculating. She dresses up, I never do. She is short and I; well actually I'm also quite short. We compliment each other, she is neat where I am messy, and she is sensibility to my silliness. Normally.

Just before we leave Ava ties a thin piece of plaited green leather around my neatly brushed hair. We link arms and march solemnly to the barons office.

A.N. Sorry this took so long but I hate typing, with a passion. So I have ten plus chapters written down but the typing of them is taking awhile.

Anyway thankyou to my reviewers. Consider yourselves loved


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own what you recognize, that which you don't is mine or just something you don't recognize that isn't mine anyway.

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I knock quietly and the Barons manservant Afrit opens the door and beckons us in. Ava stands next to Robert and I file in next to her. this is customary for us, we always stand like this when it is necessary for the three of us to stand together. Robert, I know likes to kid himself that we are protecting Ava, but truthfully she is just the centre we gravitate towards, that keeps us in balance.

The Baron nods a silent welcome to us from behind his large and rather cluttered desk.

Another quiet knock sounds from the door and the Baron gestures to Afrit to open it. the Blacksmith, John Black walks in first, his tool belt is unevenly weighted and he always leans slightly left, and walks in a bit of a curve.

Lady Pauline steps lightly around the muddy footprints left by John her dress lifted just a little enough to show curved feet in soft kid skin boots, but not enough to be unladylike.

Ulf follows the Lady, his steps are far from dainty and he constantly walks as though he has just got off a horse, his legs as far apart as possible and his rear sticking out quite far.

The head of the scribe school, who's name escapes me, comes next, he is muttering to himself and scrawling unintelligible things all over his arm. he has ink blots on his nose and quills stuck in his hair, sending ink trails running down his neck and staining his uniform.

Sir Rodney follows this, he is wearing a good deal more weapons and armour than is really necessary but he makes a formidable figure in the cramped room.

Master Chubb is last to arrive, his wooden spoon clasped firmly in his left hand and a huge recipe book is under his left arm.

Just as Afrit goes to shut the door Will slips inside quietly I smile at him but he doesn't respond something strange flickers in his eyes but he rests against the wall letting the folds of his cloak fall silently around him and the cowl place his face in shadows. I feel a little put out that he wouldn't even respond with a nod or a small smile. instead I square my shoulders and avert my eyes.

"So Robert" The Baron begins "I know protocol dictates ladies first, but in this instance I do not believe they would mind." everyone titters politely

"Yes sir" Robert says in his clear voice "If possible I should like a position at the scribe school."

The scribe school master, sort of snaps back into the real world for a moment, long enough to say "Robert, yes... jolly good... tomorrow 8 o'clock, you know the drill... jolly good." a few not so polite titters follow this statement. Most of them from me.

Ava curtsies neatly to the Baron before saying "I have been speaking at length with the Lady Pauline and if you are agreeable with the suggestion my lord then I would like very much to have a placement with the Kings diplomatic service, my lord." Ava has a habit of speaking in length sentences with rather length words, especially when she's nervous.

The Baron smiles at her softly, his eyes showing true warmth for his strangest and most estranged ward. "If the Lady Pauline agrees then I assume you too will start tomorrow at eight."

the Lady Pauline nods softly in response to the Barons almost question and smiles just as warmly at Ava.

I don't attempt a curtsy; I'd just fall flat on my face and look like an absolute idiot, instead I bow slightly bending cleanly at the waist "I should like a placement at the horse school" I say in as clear a voice as I can manage "I have neither recommendation or prior conversation, but I can vouch for my competency with horses."

My gaze flickers to Ulf and remains steady on his face. He looks grim, refusal approaches.

"Im sorry" he states "I know you can ride quite well, but I doubt you could hold a tetchy battle horse while one of your class mates picked a rock from its shoe." He looks upset, ha, he thinks he's upset, what about me.

"Do you have a second choice, Kathryn?" The Baron asks kindly

"Battle school" I say firmly, turning slightly on my heel to face Sir Rodney

"I don't think-" Sir Rodney begins, but I cut him off

"I can complete the obstacle course well within the required time" I pause for a breathe before diving into my next statement "I can run the 12 mile punishment course, I've even completed it with a pack of rocks once or twice. plus I can handle a word competently."

"Prove it" Sir Rodney says passing me his parade sword, which is lucky, they're lighter than the practice swords and thus far easier for me to handle.

I swing it around my head a few times, throw it catch it, parry a few imaginary strikes, to get a feel for the blade, it's well balanced, and fits my arm length almost perfectly.

"What do you want me to do with it?" I ask snippily

"Let us move to the courtyard" Baron Arald says in his I'm-the-Baron-so-do-as-you-are-told-voice

We all follow him silently.

"Right" says Sir Rodney "you say you can use it, let's see you."

"Well do you have anything in particular you want me to do?" I ask, sounding rather cross

"No, no just... handle it." Sir Rodney says smiling, up for some sport is he

"fine" I say, I twirl around on my left foot and call out "Richard, give me a hand with something."

He's walking across the courtyard and I know he has just come of the watch. he walks over to where we are standing and bows slightly to the Baron and Sir Rodney. He turns to me smiling and sends a questioning look towards the sword held casually in my right hand.

I swing it around suddenly and rest the point at the fleshy part of his neck just under his chin. "Draw your sword soldier" I command, he hesitates and I add pleadingly "I'm free Saturday... I think I am any way."

He still doesn't draw his weapon. instead he looks towards the Baron.

"Just don't hurt her too much" Sir Rodney laughs

Richard draws his sword, finally. his first blow is a sweeping backhand and I block it effortlessly, my blade held loosely in my fingers and pointing straight down at the ground

"Come on" I goad him "You're loosing your touch, getting soft." each sentence is followed by a sharp cut one to the left and the second to the right. he blocks both with ease,. his next swing is a deadly stroke at my head, at least it would have been deadly if I hadn't dropped to the ground beneath the swing that threatened to cut me in half just below my waist.

I drop to the ground my right leg straight out behind me and my left pulled up tight to my chest. I am crouched like a cat as I await his next blow.

Richard aims a thrust that should have gone straight through me, killing me instantly. I dive through his legs but he turns catching my waist with his ankle and flicks me a short distance away.

I land on my hands a push my feet up and around, both my feet now bare make contact with his face. I bring my feet back and start to bend the other way before pushing myself back and as far away as I could.

I land nearly seven feet back from where my hand prints are I move quickly into a sprint picking up my sword from where I had dropped it and arriving in front of Richard before he had a chance to get up from the blow to his face. I slide the point of my borrowed sword down his skin resting it on his chest just above his heart, a death blow even in a mail shirt. "Yield?" I ask

He nods clearly, but I'm not taking any chances, I kick his sword away from his hand, he smiles at me luckily he doesn't take offence. He stands up unsteadily and lifts me up a good four inches off the ground so I'm looking straight into his eyes.

"Haven't seen you around much lately Kitty." He states simply before pulling me into a bone crushing hug that I return in kind. After a few moments he sets me back down on the ground and wraps an arm around my shoulders

"Well?" I ask looking hopefully at the Baron and Sir Rodney

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A.N. Sorry this took so long hope u like it

Peace and love

Rhoddy


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Last time I checked, I'm not a famous author, but if you'd like to think that then feel free

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"I'm sorry Rodney" Will says stepping forward to stand next to the battle master "I assume after that display that you want her at the battle school, but Halt and I wish to recruit her to our force."

I look at him aghast, is he smoking something funny out there in the forest, I don't want to be a Ranger and do whatever creepy stuff it is that Rangers do. "Um I don't think so" I start sneering at Will and his stupid cloak "It's my choice, and if Sir Rodney won't have me then I'm sure someone will. If not there's always farming and if none of the farms want me then I'll run off and join the circus."

"What if the circus won't have you?" Robert asks grinning

"There's always the whorehouse" I answer "I hear they're not overly choosy."

"Or she could settle down." Richard adds from behind me, when I glare at him hastily adds "Or move to another fief."

"You would choose the whorehouse over being part of an elite force of the Kings Rangers?" Will asks looking surprised and more than a little put out

"No I'd choose the stables or battleschool or the diplomatic services or blacksmithing or cooking or at a pinch farming. I would only choose the whorehouse if all other options were closed to me." I answer defiantly

"What makes you so opposed to being part of the corps?" Ava asks in a last ditch attempt to stop any arguments from escalating

"What makes you so opposed to cooking?" I snap back

"The last time we risked eating something I cooked we were all sick for months. I'm terrible at it, but I believe you would be good at the skills required to be a Ranger. You can fight and shoot tolerably well, and you can throw knives and move quietly. I think you'd be good at it."

"But I don't want to" I whine, my voice sounds pathetic even to me

"Why" asks Robert, still grinning

"Because there are things I'd rather do' I answer honestly

"Like work on a farm?" He asks in a sneery voice

"Yes" I snap 'I like farms."

Richard tightens his hold on me and pulls me gently back to rest on his chest. he places his right hand on my stomach and wraps his left around me and strokes my right shoulder with his fingertips. his breath is warm on my neck and his heart beats a steady comforting rhythm just near my shoulder.

"Hush now" He whispers directly into my ear "perhaps we should limit this discussion to those involved. Sir Rodney, Baron Arald and Will, I will meet you in the Barons office as soon as I am clean and Kathryn is calm."

With that he lifts em up and carries me to his barracks without a backwards glance. I know that those he mentioned will be there and that everyone else will go about their business. Richard has a way of talking that people listen to and follow. you wouldn't think that he was only one year out of the battle school.

He sets me down gently on his bed and I relax back on the pillow. I smile politely to the men he shares a room with, I don't know many of them, they're all old, none of them attended battleschool at the time Richard was still attending.

I watch as he changes his chain mail and coarse undershirt for a semi formal tunic and his muddy breeches for a cleaner pair. I feel incredibly guilty because I know he normally has a shower after he finishes a patrol.

The other men in the barracks aren't really surprised to see me, and they would never complain about me being there, it's sort of an unwritten rule, wives and girlfriends are welcome as long as you're quiet etc.

"Now don't bite my head off" Says Richard lying next to me on the bed "But I think you should accept Wills offer."

I stare at him incredulously. a small part of me wants to kick and scream and make a fuss and tell him I wont/shan't and he can't make me. But the rest of me, my logical side is convinced that he's right.

"You understand don't you?" Richard asks and I nod so he continues "Ok so you are in a position to be making some demands. For example training with a sword, Horace is one of the best sword fighters in the land and I'm sure he's part of this elite force, then there's Gilan the ranger in Norgate fief, he trained with MacNiel."

"The MacNiel?" I ask sitting up suddenly

"Yes and on top of that I think they want you for a mission. The Celtic king is knocking on deaths door. His only successor, after the fighting with Morgarath, is the princess Madelydd." He pauses to take a breathe then continues "You know the Celtic tradition about the number of people in an official party. They won't be taking Cassandra as she's busy, so you would be perfect, you're a girl so you can do girl stuff with Madelydd and you can still fight."

I consider his words, he has a point, I nod in agreement "So what demands do you think I could be making?" I ask

"Well" he says stroking his chin considering my words "what do you want?"

"Sword training" I say firmly "and a horse, I'd love a rangers horse but I'll settle for any decent one, as long as it runs well."

"Never go into an argument saying you'll settle for less, you have the upper hand because the things you want you can probably get at the battleschool, although battle horses don't un very well at all. Aim high and at the very least you'll still get close to what you asked for."

"you, my good man, should have gone to scribe school." I say adding a mocking punch "Oh and my final demand, I don't want to wear a dress."

I look down at the dress that Ava had lovingly altered to fit me for today. There's a cut at the end of the left sleeve and most of the band on the hem has fallen off and is dragging on the ground.

"I'll be back in a minute" I say jumping up and running for the door. I stop just past the steps "actually I'll meet you in the Baron's office."

He smiles and waves from the doorway as I twirl through the kitchen door, planning on making my way through the largely unused staircase that leads up to the wards tower.

A.N. I know nothing much happens in this chapter, so I'm typing the next one up already. My excuse is, I like to think of things as scenes, that was one scene as I would have shot it.

Thanks to my two anonymous reviewers 'Kate8' and 'Kaiya'

Peace and Love

Rhoddy


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: if I owned it then I'd be getting paid for this, all I get are reviews, which are AMAZING!!!!!!!

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I slip the ruined, hopefully repairable, dress over my head and then slip the tunic I had planned on wearing this morning over my head, fastening the leather strap tightly around my waist and doing up the buttons at the wrists with my teeth.

I trip over my feet in an attempt to put on my leggings as quickly as possible, I successfully put a huge smudge on the back of my calf but luckily it'll be covered by my boots when I put them on.

I thunder out the door then stop about six steps down the passage and run back.

I pull the green leather tie from my head and replace it with a soft brown cap with a white owl's feather. It covers most of my incredibly scruffy hair.

As an after thought I slip my knife into my boot and pull my scabbard up over my hips leaving it loose so the sword drags it down more on one side. Tres chic.

I arrive at the Barons office in record time, but you wouldn't know it because I waited, panting, for the best part of a minute to get my breath back so they couldn't tell that I'd run.

I knock sharply three times. Afrit opens the door and bows ceremoniously. His black eyes are twinkling and I can tell he thinks this whole thing is a big joke.

"Aaah, Kathryn, please have a seat." The Baron says when I walk in.

The only seat left is between Will and Sir Rodney, I consider sitting on Richards knee, far more comfortable. But it would appear we're all meant to be acting sensibly.

I cough loudly and gesture imperiously towards the chair. "I should like to be seated next to my legal party, Afrit please move the offending object to the left of Richard."

He follows my orders after asking everyone to shuffle around the table

"Please do not attempt to frighten me with the proximity f the seating plan." I say imperiously, perching myself gently on the chair.

Baron Arald has the good grace to look embarrassed at being caught out. Sir Rodney looks angry and Will looks vaguely amused. Richard squeezes my hand gently. They set us both up.

"Now to business" The Baron begins

"Actually after discussion with my client, we have decided to agree to the request of the Ranger will." Richard begins after interrupting the Baron "Under a few conditions."

Will makes a gesture of assent with his hand so Richard launches into a description of our demands.

"We would like Kathryn to have a chance to learn with someone who has better control of a sword than I could ever hope to teach her."

"Horace is brilliant with a sword and Gilan is even better." Will answers "either of them could teach her beyond the usual proficiency demanded at the battle school."

"Yes, we had anticipated that they would be the best choices. Also, a horse, a rangers horse to be specific."

"Old Bob has just completed training Malaise.' Will responds promptly

'Isn't that Gallic for 'Bad'?" I ask curiously

"Yes, she has a Gallic dame and she took far longer than we expected to train, but she has good stamina and she runs as quick over distance as Tug can, far quicker on a sprint." Will says proudly

"Our final request is that Kathryn be excused from wearing a dress." Richard asks

"I'm afraid that probably won't be possible" Will says "There is a matter of some importance to the kingdom arising in Celtica. As you may know the old king is dying and the embassy party will be sent if Kathryn was to be a part of this then she would have to wear a dress."

I nod my head silently, I suspected that it would be impossible to avoid.

"But" Will began again "Diplomatic service women do occasionally wear shorter dresses over leggings, slightly longer than your tunic I think. If there were any state functions then you'd probably have to wear a proper dress."

This is a fair compromise "Ok then Ranger, you got yourself a deal." I say sticking my hand out to him, he shakes it politely and we all stand to leave.

"I have one lest question Ranger" Richard asks, his voice is harsh and I place my hand gently on his arm "You don't have an alternative motive for requesting Kathryn to be a member of this... elite force, do you?"

He is glaring solidly at the shorter man, who doesn't even have the good grace to pretend to cower.

"Why would I?" Will asks, obviously confused

"Most people do" Richard says wrapping his arm protectively around my shoulders "They can't see past the fact that her people were carni folk."

Will looks, if anything, even more confused but Sir Rodney claps him on the shoulder then turns to Richard saying "I can assure you that such thoughts had never crossed his mind."

I personally don't doubt it for a moment, but Richard has always been quite touchy about the subject. Someone had the misfortune to approach me about the subject while he was within hearing distance. Their nose didn't survive the encounter.

Richard seems satisfied with this answer, so after giving our goodbyes to the Baron we all head our separate ways

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A.N. I know this chapter is a little small, and a little late, but I have exams and I'm a little

busy etc.

Peace and love

Rhoddy


	6. Chapter 6

Shortly afterwards I find myself in the sheltered courtyard belonging to the wards of the castle. As always it is full of children, often in the warmer months and in the harvest season in it empty except for a few small children and their maids, but on days like these it is easy to wish that I didn't have to leave. Bran, on of the five boys who are just on year younger than me, and I believe all destined for the battle or horse schools, is organising all of the boys over ten to compete in one of his sword mastery championships.

I consider joining them but then I notice Fernanda, now that me and Ava are leaving she'll be the oldest of the girls. She turned 13 just recently. At present she is holding a baby in each arm and two are bawling on the carpet in front of her.

Plus the under threes, all four of them are pestering her, probably demanding a story. Somehow these four babies survived the plague, they were put out of the walls of the infected town just hours before it was boarded up... and when they continued to show no signs of plague symptoms they were bought to the castle.

I pick up both of the squalling infants and sit crossed legged on the tartan carpet jiggling my arms slightly to calm them down.

"Thank you" Ferdie says sighing with relief as the noise stops "I don' know what I'm going to do tryin' to manage all of 'em"

I smile at her "I'll be coming and going as much as I can" of course, I think that probably won't be all that often "Who wants to hear a story?"

The assembled toddlers jump up and down at the suggestion; this is accompanied as ever by shouts of "A story, a story we're going to hear a story" Morganna a particularly small four year old pats gently on my knee whispering in her tiny voice "Can you tell us about Will and Princess Cassandra at the bridge?"

"That's strange" I tease "I don't remember any stories about a bridge." The crowd is growing currently about 20 of the 30 odd wards are spread out on the grassed area around me and Ferdie. I wave bran over and as expected all of his little swords masters follow him over. Taking the traditional soldier at rest pose legs spread out hands resting on sword and backs straight; they stand in a semi circle around the little group.

"Of course you do" David says, he's seven nearly eight and I know that he wants to be a ranger and be just like the great Will Treaty "Over the fissure they burnt it"

"Oh that bridge. Well you have to remember that Horace was there as well

"Will and Horace didn't know then that they were escorting the Princess Cassandra herself, she was travelling as Evanlyn, the name of her maid who fell foul to the Wargals before she even met our trusty castle wards

"They had travelled through Celtica on the trail of a troop of Wargals. When they arrived Horace was convinced that they needed to get back and tell the King as soon as possible

"But Will and Evanlyn convinced him to stay pointing out that they should find out as much as possible before returning with information that could end up being false

"When Will travelled through the tunnel he overheard the Skandians discussing Morgarath's plan

"So they decided to burn the bridge unfortunately one of the fires didn't catch so Will and Evanlyn had to run back across and then they got stuck on the other side and caught by the Skandians. Horace made his way back to inform the King and Halt

"Halt took a small force to destroy the Skandian force that was going to be attacking the Araluen rear

"They, Halt, came back wearing Skandian arms so when Morgarath saw them he thought he had won and Halts force hit him in the flank of his army with a crushing cavalry blow.

"Morgarath sensed that defeat was near, so he raised a flag of truce and King Duncan replied in kind

"When Morgarath arrived at the Araluen command centre he challenged Halt to single combat, King Duncan forbade him to accept. And so Horace challenged Morgarath." I stop there looking around at my audience

"Then what happened?" Bran asked ever impatient

"Perhaps we should let Horace tell the story" I wave my hand towards where Horace and Will have been standing since just after I arrived

Morganna drags them both into the heart of the circle, sitting firmly on Horace's knee while John a jolly little boy of about four jumps on Will pinning him down as well. I stand as Horace begins talking stretching out my stiff limbs. Just as I start to leave the smallest of the four plague babies starts grizzling, I lift him gently slipping him carefully into one of the slings.

As I slip slowly up the staircase I hear soft footsteps and the when I turn the final corner into the passage where my room is I catch a glimpse of a mottled cloak out of the corner of my eye.

"Halt" I call out "Ranger Halt is that you?"

"How did you guess?" he asks stepping into plain sight and holding my door open for me

"I saw the cloak, and I knew it couldn't have been Will. The little ones never would have let him leave so easily." I answer smiling

Oh, well I was here so I thought I might as well show you to the hut. I'm afraid it's rather full at the moment." He leans silently on the doorframe "Do you need to pack"

"Yes there's a fair bit I'm afraid." I say "Could you hold Rabbit for me?"

He looks confused so I elaborate "The baby, none of them have names, nor are they likely to until its safe for someone to go into the village and fish out the records, even then we won't really be able to tell who's who."

As I explain this I place Rabbit carefully in Halts arms.

Packing doesn't take very long, all of my clothes live in the chest at the end of my bed which I have permission to take with me. Further exploration of the room produces a tiny dagger, a tin of sewing equipment, a bundle of letters (mostly from Richard) and a few pieces of ribbon (some from Richard, some from Robert and one from Baron Arald).

And of course the bag of stuff that belonged to my mother. I tip it all out on the bare bed, I'm older now than she was when I was born, but it all still just about fits. There are two plain leotards one pink and one black, a few pairs of sparkly tights and a full body costume. There is also a ball dress, deep red and absolutely stunning with puffed upper sleeves and tight lower ones, a tight bodice with black and gold embroidery and a huge skirt, that i have only ever worn once, to Halt's wedding. My favourite part of my late mother's wardrobe is the boots thigh high with huge heels that make me far taller than my pitifully below average 5 foot and very little. I fold all of this carefully and slip it under my everyday clothes.

I add my quilt and the lift the chest carefully exchanging it for rabbit.

We make our way into the forest.

A.N. Sorry this has been sooooo long in coming

Consider it a Christmas/holiday-other-than-christmas-if-your-not-that-way-inclined present

Peace and Love

Rhoddy

And happy holidays.

And in case i dont update sooner rather than later happy new year.


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